I highly enjoyed this story of a pilgrimage on the Portuguese coastal route of the Camino de Santiago to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. I was immediately engaged with the meeting of the two main characters, thirty-five-year-old Seattleite Sadie Wells and thirty-eight-year-old blue haired, mullet wearing Portuguese native, Mal. Their meeting on a plane from Seattle to London was unique in how it occurred and what Mal quickly learned about Sadie. Once they land in London and both get to their respective destinations, the uniqueness of their interactions and journey continues. Ironically, I began reading the book when the dated entries of the first chapter commenced.

Reading through the pilgrimage destinations (I googled each location) and growing to know all of the characters, provided an interesting perspective to the reader in addition to the happenings between Sadie and Mal and their group. Along the journey, the story provides a lot of life and relationship lessons, but I liked that the writer crafted them around the theme of self-discovery.

I'd highly recommend this book to other readers, especially those who like a good travel story.

I received an ARC from Atria Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, Atria & Alison for an e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first read of Alison Cochrun and it won't be my last. I really enjoyed the pacing of this book and read it in one sitting.

This is my favorite Alison Cochrun novel! I love a coming of age but later in life story with a journey both literal and figurative. The two main characters Sadie and Mal are on the Camino from Portugal to Spain where they fall in love but can’t quite admit it to themselves for each of their own reasons. This book has a lot to say about fluidity of identity, the powerful hold heteronormativity can have on people, and how there is no wrong time to learn about our authentic selves. EVERY STEP SHE TAKES was a delightful untraditional rom-com that makes me want to travel to Portugal ASAP!

*4.5 Stars*

First, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

God, I loved this book. I found myself reading this book at every chance I got, forgoing lunch breaks at work to keep trekking along the Camino with Sadie and Mal, and when I wasn’t reading I wanted to be reading!

Every Step She Takes is a journey through self-acceptance and discovering that everyone is walking their own path at their own pace and that that is perfectly normal. This story shows that it’s never too late to meet yourself and to start living unapologetically and honestly, to take up space and not be sorry for it. It made me feel seen and strangely at peace.

I loved the characters and the plot, and even though there were times where I had to put down my phone and pace out of frustration at the lack of simple communication, I had an amazing time! So amazing that I even thought about looking up travel info for my own Camino.

For anyone who loves road trip/tavel stories, books highlighting self-reflection and self-discovery, or a quirky, queer found family, Every Step She Takes is definitely for you. Bom caminho!

Swoon. Hiking the Camino is now on my bucket list. Alison Cochrun has a great habit of making me fall in love with characters I’m not necessarily attracted to. They’re just so human and trying so hard to human - and then they get it right and the payoff is chef’s kiss. I loved the vulnerability but that it wasn’t cliche. I loved the scenery. I loved the characters, each unique in their own way. Stefano cracked me up- I wish I had a friend like him. But the others too. Great cast for both Sadie and Mal’s journey. Everything clicked. Highly recommend this one whether you’re on a journey or not.

Short summary: Sadie’s existential crisis becomes an out loud problem when she thinks her plane is going down and she comes out to her seat mate - beautiful/handsome Mal. Who she’s never going to see again. Until Mal shows up on her 200mile trek through Portugal.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I am a sucker for anything Alison writes so read this book was a no brainer for me. Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book!

This book was so much more than a romance; it was a self reflective journey for 2 characters, and a beautiful love note to the Camino (which is now on my bucket list!). By the end of the book, I knew Mel and Sadie like they were real people (I feel this way about all of the characters also writes)!

Highly recommend this book if you’re into: queer romances, finding yourself stories, adventure romances

Like every single one of Alison Cochrun's books, this one is full of queer joy and a well-crafted love that feels like it heals something in me.

Thank you so much to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC.

Alison Cochrun never fails to create an amazing story, and Every Step She Takes was no exception. I found all of the characters super relatable, especially Sadie, and I really appreciated the theme of learning to be your authentic self on your own timeline. I also loved the balance of romance, found family, and the exploration of the Camino de Santiago, which I did not know about before. This is definitely one of my favorite books I’ve read so far this year, and I can’t wait until everyone gets to read it in September!

Thank you so much to netgalley and publishers for this ARC!

This was a lovely read. There are not many queer stories where the coming out/self-discovery happens later in life, so I found this very enjoyable, unique, and needed. Alison's characters are always wonderful and fun to read about. It felt cozy and adventurous at the same time. 3.75 stars!

Every Step She Takes is everything I love about Alison Cochrun's previous books, plus one of the best travelogues I've ever read! When I got to the acknowledgements and saw that Cochrun, herself, had walked the Camino de Santiago in a time of personal struggle, I was like, "Of COURSE she did!" This book is way too good for the research to have been done on Google! I felt like I was with right with Sadie and Mal through their entire journey through Portugal and Spain.

Like all of Cochrun's characters, both Sadie and Mal are still trying to navigate the messes in their individual worlds to figure out who they are and how to live more authentically. For Sadie, that means learning what SHE wants for the first time in 35 years, and finally coming out to herself and everyone else too. For Mal, that's grappling with her father's death, and the grief of losing him long before he died because of his homophobia. They comfort and sharpen each other in all the best ways, and their chemistry is sizzling. And they've got a whole new found family rooting them on!

Every Step She Takes is also hilarious. Sadie's coming out scene had me laughing so hard tears were running down my face, and I didn't really stop giggling the whole way through the book. These are Cochrun's funniest characters.

An extra special thank you to Alison for introducing me to BUENO BARS! Delicious!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and provide an honest review.

Started the book, like Sadie, with no idea what I was in for…ended it wanting to walk the Camino myself. Sadie’s story was so moving and her cast of friends that she walks with were perfectly constructed. I felt Sadie’s growth with every step she took. Queer or not if you’ve ever questioned who you are you can benefit from reading Every Step She Takes

Sadie is trying to discover herself while Mal keeps running away from relationships. They meet when Sadie fills in for her sister Vi on the Camino trek in Portugal. The plot is good and the character development fantastic. Sadie does not realize it is a gay tour and Mal tries to stay from her because she thinks Sadie straight. I recommend this story for romance readers.

This book might have ruined all other books for me. It hit that hard.

It seriously felt written just for me—me, who came out to herself in her 30s, then separated from her husband and immediately got seven piercings and an undercut. So to say I felt seen by this story is honestly an understatement. I’m in very real danger of dropping everything to walk the Camino now.

My 5 stars were locked in from pretty much the start: a queer awakening, found family, atmospheric and travel that isn’t just a backdrop but a full character in the story, forced proximity, practice dating, an ensemble cast I would literally walk across a country with.

I’m always a sucker for a good historical accuracy note, but in this one, the author tied some of the “not too late” queer journey to her journey of motherhood in a way that broke me in the best way.

Usually I dislike cultural references—and they may eventually date this story—but right now, they hit absolutely perfect and authentic for a 30-something queer. A very rare feat.

I wish I’d had this book earlier in my life, but in the spirit of the message, I am grateful it found me at the exact right moment.

I enjoyed the pacing of this book. Insta love doesn’t always work for me, but this time it pretty much did. I think because the characters were older and I learned about their experience along the way, it didn’t feel surface level and unbelievable. Also, Alison Cochrun is one of my favorite authors - I have enjoyed every single one of her books. Another hit!

This book felt like a coming-of-age story with the main character(s) struggling with figuring out who they are. Sadie is trying to figure out her sexuality after many bad first dates with men. She takes her sister's place on a trip that happens to be a queer tour group and her adventure begins in trying to find out who she really is. I really enjoyed the storyline and thought the writing was great. I was bummed with the way the book went at the end though. I wanted more and I didn't get it. It left me wanting to know what actually ended up happening?

This sapphic romcom follows Sadie, a 35 year old woman just starting to explore her queerness, and Mal, navigating her fraught history with her family in the wake of her father's death, as they both participate in a 2-week trek through Portugal and Spain.

This is a minor gripe, but I do think the first half of the book is a bit weighed down by its excessive pop culture references.

Sadie's personal arc was my favorite part of this story. Her exploration of her sexuality and what it means to discover herself as a grown adult was satisfying and sweet. We really get to see her come into her own over the course of this book, not just in her relationship with Mal, but with their entire group and as an individual.

Mal's personal arc was a bit more frustrating to me. We are introduced to both her struggles and her coping mechanisms very early on, but there isn't significant movement in her evolution until the last 20% of the book. From there, things move pretty quickly, and dealing with them on such a short timeline means that there are some moments that feel a bit cheesy and rushed.

Despite my frustration with Mal's individual development, I did generally enjoy Sadie and Mal's relationship. There was a slight gesture toward a "we're just doing this 'practice'" trope, but this was ultimately pretty superficial and played a minor role in the story. Instead, we get to see Sadie and Mal learn to be vulnerable with each other in ways they haven't let themselves be before. The ending gave enough breathing room to really get to see both Mal and Sadie settle into themselves and their changing lives in a way that makes the romantic ending feel more stable and comfortable.

This wasn't a perfect read, but ultimately I still had a good time with it

Thank you to Netgalley, Atria & Alison for an e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this more. But I think this is my least favorite of Alison's. Unfortunately. I just don't think outdoor travel stories work for me. I just felt a little bored with all of the descriptions of outside. It just doesn't help that I'm not the greatest at imagining this all without having been there myself. Even just Europe in general. Because films usually just stick to the same areas.

Also, I wasn't really digging Sadie. I found her a little annoying at times. Mal seemed like a more thought out character. And the "practicing" queer adolescent thing was weird. I don't know, maybe it's because I didn't come out later in life. I get having anxiety about having firsts with women (and sex in general). But I wouldn't ask someone to practice with.

The group of queer people harassing a presumably "straight" person, wasn't it for me. I get wanting to feel protected in your group. But if they are queer, you're asking them to out themselves before they want to?

I did like the Camino group when they weren't doing what I mentioned above. They were really fun.

I will thank Alison though. She has let me know to never do a Camino. You can get me to walk a couple of miles. But there's absolutely no way I can do as many miles as a Camino is. I'm not cut out for that.

A love letter to the people still figuring themselves out. Alison Cochrun writes unconditional love so beautifully. No matter what the characters are dealing with internally, sexuality, grief, mental health, the other person loves them through all of it. I loved seeing Sadie and Mal not only fall in love with each other but also themselves.

"Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tiptoe if you must but take the step".

For both Mal and Sadie, their journey on the Camino de Santiago, isn't confined to a physical trek but a deeply contemplative, emotional event. This dual POV begins with Mal eluding the competing emotions over her father's death and for Sadie, the dissatisfaction over her love life and career dictated by circumstances. As the read progresses alongside the trek, the reader witnesses Sadie's transformation resulting from both the physical hardships of the walk itself and through the support of a lively group of travelers each with their distinctive stories. As for Mal, her dual sounding boards of Inez and Michelle, along the reader to see her unpack what she is truly seeking.

If you are a reader looking for a transformative read of the physical and emotional journeys individuals undergo, pick this up.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, Atria Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5! I love Alison Cochrun’s words so much. This book is a beautiful journey in all different ways. There was so much I loved about it - from the plus sized representation, the characters arc’s, the beautifully described scenery and the quirky side characters. Both of our narrators have great chemistry and lots of layers to them, and I loved following their stories.

A couple of reasons it didn’t get a 5: the excessive use of the term “fairy god-dyke” (cringe), abrupt ending + no epilogue, sometimes I felt like there were things between chapters I would’ve liked to have experienced with the characters rather than read about it after (does that make sense? My wife describes this to her students as “showing, not telling”)

Overall Alison Cochrun hit the ball out of the park again!

Thanks to NetGalley & Atria for the ARC! :)